New Realizations
by MChrisH
Summary: Malcolm and Hayes end up stranded on a planet and from there on, their relationship takes a for them unexpected turn...


**New Realizations**

With a groan, Mayor Joss Hayes awoke to a pounding head. He blinked, trying to remember what had happened. He and Lieutenant Malcolm Reed had managed to convince Captain Archer to let them visit the planet they had found first. They had taken the shuttlepod but shortly after passing trough the atmosphere, a sudden storm had taken them by surprise. They had been thrown around and, seemingly, been knocked unconscious. He sat up, slowly to make sure he wouldn't fall down again, and looked around. Reed was laying a few feet away, also waking slowly. He looked out of the window and had to suppress a curse. "Lieutenant, wake up! We have to get out of here!"

Reed looked confused. "Mayor? Where-? What is the matter?"

"It seems that we hit the water surface of the ocean after we lost consciousness and now we're sinking," Hayes answered. "We should get out of here before we are too far from the surface." He grabbed a space suit, the emergency kit and everything needed for a night on planet.

"Why should we leave the shuttle?" Reed asked.

"Well, you're welcome to stay here but I prefer not to be in a shuttle on the bottom of the ocean," Hayes replied shortly, stuffing everything in the suit. He bound it to his belt and went to the door. "So, are you coming or not?"

"No," Reed said quietly.

Hayes took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. He turned around slowly. "Lieutenant, I know that it can already be seen as a miracle that we agreed on being the first of the crew to check out this planet but…" He stopped when he saw Reed's face. The other man was pale and looked quietly terrified. "Lieutenant?"

"I can't," Reed whispered.

"What can't you?"

"I can't go out in the w-water."

"You're an aquaphobe?" Hayes asked surprised.

Reed nodded, looking away in shame.

Hayes took a step in his direction. "But you know how to swim?" he asked gently.

Reed nodded again, still refusing to look at the Mayor.

"Then come on."

Reed's heat shot up. "W-what?"

Hayes looked at him patiently. "If you're aquaphobic, it'd really be better if you left the shuttle. After all, we don't know when the _Enterprise_ will find us." He saw Reed swallow nervously. "We are close enough to the surface and the continent so we can easily reach it. The suit filled with air can keep us above the water if necessary. You won't drown, I promise."

Reed swallowed again, then nodded. "Okay."

"Good." Hayes prepared to open the door. "You'll go first, I'll follow." He looked at the other man, saw him visibly gather his courage. "Ready?"

Reed took a deep breath. "Ready."

Hayes opened the hatch and grabbed Reed's arm, helping him out of the shuttle. Then he followed. They both swam to the surface, Hayes keeping an eye on Reed. When they broke the surface, he took Reed's arm again, laying it on the suit. Then he looked around, trying to locate the beach.

Reed held tightly onto the suit, trying to gather his strength. He followed Hayes' gaze to the continent. He swallowed covertly. Trying to appear brave, he said "Well, let's get going." He let go of the suit and started to swim. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hayes swimming beside him. He was aware that Hayes could have swum faster but he was thankful for it. He knew that the Mayor had been right, the beach was not very far away but to him it seemed far. His constant internal battle against his fear took up much of his energy and it was getting harder and harder to keep up his speed. He fought to keep going but was more and more wishing for a pause.

Suddenly he found himself being grabbed. He panicked, trying to pull away, until he heard Hayes' voice in his ear. "Calm down, Lieutenant. We're almost there."

Reed let himself go limb, allowing Hayes to take him the last few hundred meters. When they reached the beach, he let himself fall to his knees.

Hayes looked down on the other man. It was disconcerting to see the normally strong Lieutenant that week. He brought the suit farther up the beach and took everything out, preparing to set up camp. When he pulled out a thermal blanket, he glanced back at Reed.

The other man was just standing there, shivering and staring out at the ocean. He still hadn't regained his colour.

Hayes went to his side. When Reed didn't react, he took his arm again and gently led him to the camp. "Here, take off your wet clothes and warm up in the blanket. I'll see if I can find something to start a fire." He waited but Reed said nothing, so he turned and left.

What Hayes saw proved what T'Pol had told them. The planet resembled Earth but was not inhabited by sentient beings. There were only small animals, none of them dangerous, so Hayes didn't worry about leaving Malcolm alone.

The forest close to the beach offered more than enough dry wood, so he was quick to return. He found Reed sitting there, wrapped in the blanket, still shivering, his clothes laying beside him. Hayes put the wood down and prepared to start a fire. Then he also took a blanket and started to take off his wet clothes.

"Well, now you finally have proof, don't you," Reed said suddenly.

"Proof for what?" Hayes asked confused.

"The proof that you are better suited for the job than I am. Now they have a reason to replace me."

Hayes was stunned. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, what else were you MACOs sent for, especially now after the Xindi aren't a threat anymore?"

Hayes sat down beside Reed, forgetting about his wet pants. "Is that what you really think? Is that why you were so much against us?"

Reed didn't reply but his expression was answer enough.

Hayes was surprised. He only knew Reed as a self-confident, strong opponent or ally; he hadn't known how unsure he was. He took hold of Reed's shoulders. "Reed, that's bullshit. I'm not interested in your job and I'd be an idiot to be. I'm more of a soldier, not a tactical officer. Sure, I know how to plan a fight but all that planning, building and increasing the efficiency of the weapons is beyond me. That's your strength. **You** are the tactical officer of the _Enterprise_ because you're the best for the job. We MACOs weren't sent to replace you but to help and support you."

Reed looked at Hayes, clearly surprised. For him, Hayes had always been an opponent but now it seemed as if the opposite was the case. "Do you…do you still think so?" he asked softly.

Hayes felt a sudden surge of protectiveness for the other. "Why shouldn't I? Just because you're aquaphobic? Why should that change anything?"

Reed allowed himself to relax. It was nice to feel the acceptance of someone who could understand him and his strictness and who he could see as his equal. Suddenly he felt again just how much his fear had worn him out. He had to suppress a yawn.

Hayes noticed however. He gently pressed him down. "It is getting dark, so we should sleep. I'll take the first watch, just in case, and then wake you in couple of hours," he suggested.

"Are you sure?" Reed asked.

"Absolutely. Just go to sleep. I'll stay awake and try to contact the ship," Hayes confirmed, his hand resting reassuringly on Reed's shoulder.

The English man hesitated, then gave in. "Thank you," he said softly. He curled up on his side and was asleep in seconds.

Hayes watched him, making sure he was sleeping well. He was really surprised by what he'd seen and learned in the last few hours. He had seen another side of the armoury officer. Looking at the sleeping man, he was surprised how young and vulnerable he looked.

Trying to think about something else, he took out his communicator. "Shuttlepod One to _Enterprise_, do you hear me? Shuttlepod One to _Enterprise_." No reply. He repeated the call a few more times but the reaction stayed the same, so he put the communicator away again.

With nothing else to do, his attention returned to Reed. He watched him, thinking how his opinion had changed. Again he was struck by how vulnerable he looked, even somewhat… cute.

He shook his head. No matter how much better they now knew the other and his opinion, he was sure Reed would deck him if he knew he thought him as cute.

"_Enterprise_ to Shuttlepod One," Hoshi's voice resounded.

Hayes quickly took the communicator. "Yes, here Shuttlepod One," he said quietly.

"Mayor? How are the two of you? Why are you whispering?" Archer asked.

"Yes, Hayes here. The shuttle is at the bottom of the ocean but we aren't injured. Lieutenant Reed is sleeping, recovering from the accident. Can you send the second shuttle to pick us up?"

There was a short pause before Archer answered. "We'll send it as soon as it's morning but you'll need to travel a bit to a place where it can land."

"Okay. Where do you want us to go?"

"About a half to one kilometre north from your current position is a good place. Normally, we'd prefer to use the transporter but there seems to be a problem because of the atmosphere of the planet."

"How long will it be until the sun rises?"

"It will take 1.48 hours," T'Pol answered. "The planet is smaller than Earth and you are on the summer hemisphere, so the nights are shorter than you are used to."

"Thank you, Subcommander. We will be at the meeting point. Hayes out."

~*~

Trip arrived on the bridge. "So, did ye reach them?" he asked instantly.

Archer turned to his best friend. "Yes, we just talked to Hayes."

"What happened?"

"It seems they had an accident. The shuttle hit the water but they got out. Hayes said that they're uninjured. We'll pick them up in two hours."

Trip frowned. "Water?" he repeated, remembering a conversation between him and Malcolm.

Archer nodded. "Yes, exactly."

"So, you need someone to pick them up?"

~*~

Hayes watched the sun rise, then looked back to Reed who was still sleeping. Instead of his peaceful expression, however, he now wore a troubled one and was tossing from side to side.

Hayes frowned. He knelled down beside Reed and shook him gently. "Reed, wake up!"

Reed sat up, still in the throes of his nightmare, and instinctively lashed out. His arms were captured, so he tried to get loose but the grip would not gentle. Then what the other said finally penetrated his cloak of fear. "Calm down, Reed, calm down! You're save here!" He blinked, his gaze focusing on Hayes' face. "Mayor?" he asked softly.

Hayes hesitated, then simply said "Good morning." He casually let go of his arms.

"Did…did you stay awake the whole night?" Reed asked surprised.

Hayes shrugged. "Yes but the nights here are shorter, so I only was awake for about four hours." He turned around and started to look through their bags, giving Reed privacy to dress himself. "Let's see what we have to eat. We'll have to get going soon. I reached the _Enterprise_ and they're sending the other shuttle to pick us up. We'll have to go to a meeting point."

Reed, fully dressed, sat down beside him, thankfully accepting the bottle of water and the food. "Good, thank you." He tried to be cross with Hayes for deciding for them but instead he found that he was glad that someone was taking control, so he could just let himself be led. "Is it far?" he asked.

"I don't think so. Sato said at most one kilometre."

"I see. Well then, we better get going soon, shouldn't we?"

Hayes looked at him critically, then nodded. "Yes, we should."

Reed leaned back, surveying their camp, taking in the calm atmosphere. Then, with a sigh, he stood up. "I guess I should start packing everything."

"Don't you mean 'we'?"

Reed looked down shyly. "Well, you prepared everything on your own, so I should pack it," he said softly.

"You're not required to do it alone," Hayes replied gently.

"But I want to, Mayor." Reed went to wrap up his sleeping back.

"Joss."

Reed turned around, surprised. "Pardon?"

"Well, it seems we're going to be on the same ship for quite a few more years and working close together at that. So I guess it's only right to start using our names instead of rang, don't you think? So, I'm Joss." He offered Reed his hand.

The English man hesitated a second, then accepted. "Malcolm," he said shyly.

Joss shook his hand firmly.

He watched Malcolm pack their bags a few more seconds, knowing he'd take it as an insult if he'd help much, so he contented himself with packing together what he'd used for their breakfast. He accepted one of the bags when Malcolm finished packing.

"So, let's go?"

Joss nodded. "Sure, let's go." He checked again for the direction, then they started into the forest.

For a while, they walked in comfortable silence, simply taking in their surroundings. They'd been walking for almost a quarter of an hour when they saw the forest grow lighter and the trees farther apart. They shared a smile, pleased that they'd soon be back on the _Enterprise_. Their steps quickened until they reached the clearing. When they stepped out of the forest, however, Malcolm stopped dead in his tracks. "Shit."

In front of them, right between them and their meeting place, was a broad river.

Joss turned to Malcolm who had gone pale again. He thought for a moment, then took of his backpack and held it out to Malcolm. "Here, hold that for a minute."

Malcolm looked confused. "Why?"

"I'll try out how deep it is and where it's easiest for us to cross over." Joss turned to the river.

"Mayor! … Joss." Malcolm hesitated, unsure what he wanted to say. "Be careful, please."

Joss nodded with a slight smile. "I will." He slowly walked into the water, then walked carefully along the shore line. Suddenly he came to a part which was less deep. He tested it further into the river but it stayed about hip deep. "Seems I found a fort," he informed the other man. "I'll check if it reaches to the other side." He walked farther into the water.

All of a sudden, he lost the ground under his feet. Not expecting it, his head went under the water.

"Joss!" Malcolm exclaimed, panicked. He took a step closer, indecisive. He was quickly relieved when Joss surfaced again.

Joss made a swimming move, then tested the ground. Again he found the fort. He checked until the shore but the water stayed hip deep.

On the way back, he tested again where and how long the interruption was. "Well, it seems we'll have to swim about two meters but otherwise it's not very deep," he explained when he was on dry ground again. He regarded Malcolm worriedly. "Will you be okay?"

"I **can** do this," Malcolm hissed.

Joss kept his expression carefully neutral. "I don't doubt that. I'm only asking if you'll be okay."

Malcolm looked away. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I…I think I will." He hesitantly stepped closer.

Joss watched, taking in how pale he was, how his breathing quickened and he started to sweat. "Give me your hand," he said suddenly.

"P-pardon?" Malcolm looked confused at the offered hand.

Joss smiled reassuringly. "It's okay. We're in this together, so we can help each other. Let me help you." When he saw Malcolm hesitate, he added "I'm not trying to belittle you. I want to help you."

Malcolm thought for a few more moments, then carefully accepted the hand.

Joss squeezed his hand gently, then slowly led him closer to the river. "It's alright. Come one." He went into the water, carefully leading the English man.

He stopped when they reached the beginning of the interruption. "Okay so far?" he asked kindly.

Malcolm nodded slightly.

"Okay, you hold my bag while I swim there, then you throw me our bags and follow, agreed?"

Malcolm took a deep breath. "Agreed."

"Good." Joss took off his bag and gave it to Malcolm, then quickly swam over. "Okay, throw me the bags." He easily caught them, putting on his bag. Then he waited for Malcolm to swim.

Malcolm was taking deep breaths, doing his best to keep his clam but having to face his fear again so soon was making all of it worse. His gaze drifted to Joss who was watching him patiently. Malcolm knew that it could be an act but he somehow had the feeling that Joss had been telling him the truth.

Keeping his eyes on Joss, he pushed himself forward, making a move and quickly rose. His right foot didn't come down on the ford, however, so he was about to loose his balance.

Joss quickly reacted, pulling him forward by one of his wildly flaying arms. He'd used too much strength, however. Instead of merely holding Malcolm upright, the English man fell against his chest. Joss wrapped his free arm around his, holding them both steady.

Malcolm held onto him, hiding his face against Joss' neck, waiting for his heart to calm down and his shivering to stop.

"It's okay, it's okay. I've got you. You're safe," Joss whispered soothingly, stroking Malcolm's back. He kept on talking until he felt Malcolm relax. He gently urged him to look up. "Can you manage the rest of the way yet or do you prefer to wait a bit longer?"

Malcolm slowly pushed himself away from Joss. "I think I'll manage."

Joss nodded. "As you wish." He helped Malcolm put on his backpack before once again offering him his hand. He squeezed it reassuringly. Keeping Malcolm closer to him this time, he led him to the other shore, helping him up. "The shuttle will be here soon," he commented.

Malcolm sighed in relief. "Good." He looked around the clearing. Seeing a big stone, he sat down against it, leaning back and closing his eyes.

Joss watched him, seeing how pale he was and how tired and worn out he looked. He took out one of the blankets and wrapped it around Malcolm. When Malcolm looked surprised, he just smiled. "Shh, relax."

Malcolm hesitated. His natural distrust, especially towards potential rivals like the Mayor, told him to fight the attention, to prove his independence and strength but his heart was enjoying the care, his gut telling him to simply let himself go. He trusted his instinct and so he closed his eyes again.

Joss swallowed, all the more touched because he knew how much it must have cost him. He promised himself that he'd do all he could not to abuse this trust. He sat down on the stone, letting one hand rest lightly on Malcolm's shoulder.

The English man smiled slightly when he felt Joss sit down. He leaned against the hand, allowing himself the luxury of relaxing, letting someone else take control.

~*~

For the next few minutes, they sat there in silence, waiting. Then Joss' attention was drawn to a movement in the sky. "Malcolm, the shuttle's about to arrive."

The other man opened his eyes and followed his gaze in the sky. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally."

They waited until the shuttle had landed and the hatch opened before going near.

Trip was standing in the open hatch, waiting for them. "Hey, you two. Everything a'right?" He shook his head. "And here I thought there's only trouble whenever Malcolm and I are away together," he teased. Then he noticed the blanket. "What happened?" he asked worriedly.

"Nothing much. We only decided to go for a swim while waiting for you," Malcolm said sarcastically while climbing in the shuttle.

Travis was sitting at the helm, preparing to fly back but he looked back shortly. When he saw the two, he stopped. "Whoa, you look like something the cat dragged in."

"Thanks, Ensign," Joss said dryly.

Travis ducked his head. "Sorry."

"Now, wait a minute. What do you mean 'you went swimming'?" Trip asked, having followed them.

Joss and Malcolm exchanged a glance, then Joss looked to the sitting place. Malcolm sat down there, grateful, while Joss turned to Trip. "We had to cross a river to get to the clearing, Commander."

Trip looked at Malcolm, who had closed his eyes again. That didn't sound too good for someone with aquaphobia. He hesitated, unsure how much Travis and Hayes knew about it. "I hope it wasn't too dangerous or difficult."

Malcolm reopened his eyes, knowing what his friend really wanted to know. "No, it was… as good as could be expected giving the circumstances."

"Well, you don't look as if you had another round of…sparring," Travis said.

"Oh no, that impromptu… 'sparring'… was caused by a… misunderstanding," Malcolm said. He yawned covertly.

"How long will it take for us to return to the _Enterprise_?" Joss asked.

"Just a few more minutes. The _Enterprise_ is directly above the meeting point, so it's not a long voyage," Travis answered.

"Good," the two soldiers sighed simultaneously.

~*~

When they arrived at the _Enterprise_, they found Archer and Phlox waiting for them. Phlox instantly went to them. "Ah, yes, welcome back. It seems you have returned uninjured, just pretty wet, eh?"

Joss and Malcolm nodded. "We're okay, just wet from swimming through the ocean and a river," Malcolm said tiredly.

"Well then, you know the way to decon and through it. I'll check you over afterwards, just in case."

The two looked at Archer, waiting for his reaction.

"Just follow the doctor's orders. We'll discuss tomorrow what to do next. Dismissed," Archer said.

Relieved, they followed Phlox to the decon chamber. "Well, you know what to do. In addition to the gel, take a shower."

Joss and Malcolm complied, eager to get out of their wet clothes. They enjoyed the shower, warming up finally.

Malcolm watched out of the corner of his eye how Joss turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around his hips. He turned back again, hoping to wait until Joss was finished before going out. Down on the planet, he'd enjoyed Joss' care but now he was embarrassed at his weakness. If he was truthful to himself, he'd been angry because Joss had thought him weak and therefore he'd done his best to prove him wrong. Now he knew that it hadn't been necessary but still, he wanted to impress Joss and being weak wasn't helping.

"Malcolm? Are you coming?" Joss asked.

Malcolm turned, surprised to see Joss waiting for him. "Pardon?"

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm tired and hungry and I can't wait for Phlox to be finished."

Malcolm felt himself smile slightly, recognizing that Joss was wordlessly offering a tentative friendship by admitting that, telling him that they didn't have to pretend with the other. "So am I." He also turned the shower off and went in the other room where the gel was. He started rubbing it into his skin. "But I don't know if I can sleep yet. I'm too agitated," he admitted while trying to put the gel on his back.

"Let me?" Joss offered.

Malcolm hesitated, then nodded. "Okay." He turned his back to Joss, unsure what to expect. His eyes opened in surprise before closing again when he felt Joss start a massage. "Where did you learn that?" he asked quietly.

"An old girlfriend taught me," Joss said. "Enjoying yourself?"

Malcolm made an affirmative sound, feeling himself relax and unwind.

When Joss stopped after a few more moments, Malcolm almost protested. He turned to the MACO. "Do you want me to return the favour?" He smiled timidly. "At least about applying the gel. I don't know how to give a real massage."

Joss shrugged. "Doesn't matter." He turned his back to Malcolm, letting him apply the gel.

"I…wanted to thank you again for your support down on the planet," Malcolm said softly.

"Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help. And I'm especially glad that we finally talked."

"Me too." Malcolm watched the muscles play under the skin. "And I'm glad we're…friends now," he added quietly, hesitantly.

Joss touched the hand that rested on his right shoulder. "That we are." He looked back at Malcolm. Seeing his expression, he changed the topic. "So what did the captain say about restarting movie nights?"

Malcolm smiled unseen. It was nice to talk to someone who understood him and reacted accordingly. "Yes, that's something we had before the Xindi crisis. From time to time, there's the opportunity to go and watch movies. There's mostly something for everyone." He grinned. "Even something with realistic fighting and many explosions."

"Something for us, hu?"

Malcolm started. _Us?_ "Yes, something for…us," he confirmed softly. He finished applying the gel and stood.

Joss regarded him, trying to read him, to guess why he was that quiet and distant again. Suddenly it hit him. _He still isn't sure if we're friends._ But how could he start proving it? "Well then, let's see. What did he say when they next movie night is?"

Malcolm who had been about to leave the decon chamber, froze. "What do you mean 'let's see'?"

"If you don't mind our going together," Joss said mildly. "I like to discuss the fight choreography and how realistic the action was."

Malcolm hesitated, then answered. "I don't mind. I think I remember Captain Archer talking about next Wednesday. Is that okay with you?"

"It is. Now, let's not keep the good doctor waiting."

"Ah, there you are," Phlox greeted them. "Now, let me check you over." He motioned them to sit down, then went to Joss. "Good, nothing wrong. You just need some rest. You can get dressed and go to your room if you promise to rest."

"No problem, Doctor. That's exactly what I was planning to do." He went to get dressed while Phlox turned to Malcolm.

"Ah, my favourite patient. Let's see." He waited a moment for the results. "Nothing – yet. Knowing you, I'll give you a shot to enhance your immune system."

"Okay. Can I also leave then?"

"One moment, Lieutenant. I heard you had to swim often and almost drowned in the ocean. You know I'm not only responsible for your physical but also for your psychological well-being, so…"

"Doctor, I'm fine. Well, perhaps somewhat tired but that's it." When he saw Phlox' disbelief, he added "I talked about it, Doctor. I mean, on the planet with J…Mayor Hayes."

Phlox' eyebrows rose. "Oh? That's good. Rather surprising but good. I distinctively remember a certain time I had the two of you as my patients… Still, I'd prefer to keep you here. Knowing you, you wouldn't rest."

"I assure you I'm old enough to decide for myself if I'm too tired or something."

"I don't doubt your age, I'm merely worried about your stubbornness."

"Now, listen -"

"Reed?" Joss interrupted their conversation, consciously ignoring the tension between them. "Are you coming?"

"Uh, pardon?" Malcolm asked surprised.

"Well, as I already said I'm rather hungry and tired, so I'd prefer to grab something to eat and then get a good night's sleep before having to give the Captain our report. What about you?"

"Actually, I…" Malcolm stopped, giving what Joss had said some serious thought. "If you don't mind, I'd like to do likewise."

Joss smiled. "Then I wouldn't have asked. So, about the report writing: do you want to do it before or after the discussion with the Captain?"

"I'd prefer to have it ready for the meeting with the Captain and the others."

"How about we write it tomorrow during and after breakfast?" Joss suggested.

Malcolm was surprised. No matter what Joss had said, he'd expected everything to be back to how it had been once they were back on board but now it seemed Joss had been serious about being friends. Still, he was somewhat reluctant to trust him. On the other hand, he'd learned in the last few years how important friends could be and Joss had proven his trustworthiness down on the planet. "Sounds good."

"Great. So, let's go?"

"Sure." Malcolm quickly went to the door before Phlox could call him back.

Joss nodded at Phlox. "Doctor." Then he followed Malcolm.

Phlox looked after them, stunned. "Well, that was unexpected." He shook his head and went to write his report about the health of the two.

He was almost finished when the door opened and Archer stepped in. He looked around. "You already discharged them?"

"Yes. There was nothing wrong with them, or at least nothing a diner and sleep won't cure." Phlox said.

Archer nodded in understanding. "Still, I'd like to look in on Malcolm. Trip and I were worried when Mayor Hayes mentioned the ocean. Trip will probably calm down if I can finally tell him how he is. Well then, I'll on my way to the Armoury."

"If your want to see Lieutenant Reed, you have to go somewhere else. He left for the mess hall."

Archer stared at Phlox. "He did what?"

"He and Mayor Hayes went to the mess hall together. Somehow the Mayor convinced him to eat and sleep before writing the report."

"That's pretty unexpected. I was actually worried they'd end up fighting again." Archer thought about it. "Well, but it is a rather good change if they're working together and Malcolm is taking care of himself."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure that it is all good for you, Captain," Phlox contradicted.

"Why not?"

"Just think how difficult it will be for you to take only small security with you on missions, now that they agree."

Archer's expression told him that he hadn't thought of that.


End file.
